Bighorn River Fishing Report 7.30.2013

We are most certainly tardy on our fishing report. Why? The fishing has been great on the Bighorn this past week. Cold water, and I mean like 45 -58 degrees depending on where you are on the river cold. Plenty of bugs, aggressive trout and consistent flows have the trout healthy and on the feed.

Dry Fly Fishing

The PMD and Sally hatch has crept up to about Grey Cliffs. As the water warms it will continue to move upriver. The bulk of the emergence is from Bighorn – Mallards and occurring in the late afternoon. From Afterbay – Bighorn you will find daily emergences of BWO’s, on overcast days, like today the hatch will be even stronger. Few midges thrown into the mix also.

Terrestrials working well for the anglers committing to them. Ant/Beetle or hopper with a dropper very productive on the edges and in the riffles.

For the never ending BWO/Midge hatch be prepared for everything. Duns, Spinners, cripples, and emergers. All are present on the surface and in the film and a pod of fish can be eating any of the above, at any time. Spent patterns imitating dead stuff is always good. Sipper Emergers, student emerger, student duns, griffith’s gnat’s, buzzballs, spinners, 6X tippet and a PERFECT DRIFT.

Nymph Fishing

The nymph fishing has been stupid the past few days. Sowbugs have been the dominant feed group as of late river wide. Have bwo/small mayfly nymphs on the upper 13 and midge pupa/larva as well. PMD nymphs and sally nymphs are working well down lower in the river, as is the worm.

Fish are eating nymphs just about everywhere. Inside bends, shallow riffles, tailouts and deep centers. Nymphs fished under an indicator or dropped off of a dry fly are both working very well.